Tree Identification 4-H Project

West Virginia University Extension Service 4-H-M-1761-95 Tree Identification 4-H Project Name Club County Address Age Years in 4-H Date project completed 4-H Program

Objectives: To learn how to identify our more important forest trees. To learn how to build a plant press or display box. To learn how to collect leaves so they can be mounted and kept for the future. To build self-esteem by successfully completing a project. Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, sexual orientation or national origin. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University.

Contents West Virginia Forests... 1 Project Information... 2 A Tree... 3 Collecting and Mounting Leaves, Twigs, Seeds, or Fruit... 5 Key to Trees... 8 Key to West Virginia Forest Trees... 9 Leaves... 20 Leaf Record Sheet I... 33 Leaf Record Sheet II... 34 Fruit/Seed Record Sheet... 35 Project Checklist... 36 Project Evaluation... 37 Score Sheet...Inside Back Cover Written by William N. Grafton Extension Wildlife Specialist and Associate Professor 1995

West Virginia Forests West Virginia was almost all covered by forests when the first European explorers began searching for adventure and wealth in the late 1600s. By the early 1900s most of West Virginia had been timbered. More than half of the land was cleared for farms, town, cities, and roads. The number of trees of different species has decreased greatly over the past 200 years. The American Chestnut was eliminated by a disease brought in from China. Only root sprouts remain of this valuable tree of our early forests. Trees with valuable wood, such as black walnut, white oak, and red spruce were over-cut in early timbering operations. Red spruce once grew in pure stands on more than a million acres of West Virginia mountaintops. Heavy cutting, wildfires, and insect attacks killed so many spruce that we now have less than 100,000 acres of them. The most common forest type in West Virginia is the central hardwoods, covering the western half of the state. Common trees in this forest type are elms, poplar, maples, oaks, basswood, sycamore, and ash. The northern hardwood forest type covers most of our higher elevations. Common trees in the northern hardwoods are maples, birches, beech, black cherry, hemlock, and red spruce. The eastern ridge and valley portion of West Virginia is covered with the oak-pine forest type. Common trees in this area are black, scarlet, and chestnut oaks, and Virginia and white pines. 1

Project Information Nearly 105 trees can be found quite easily in West Virginia forests. Another dozen species are rare. Twenty or so trees are commonly planted as shade trees or forest plantations. This project will help you identify our more important forest trees. Trees can be identified by leaves, twigs, bark, flowers, fruits/seeds, wood, shape, and habitat. Leaves are the easiest characteristic for identification but are useful only on deciduous trees from late spring to early autumn. You will complete the following: Year 1 A. Collect, press, mount, and label leaves from 20 trees B. Fill in record sheet (page 33) C. Build a plant press (optional) Year 2 or 3 A. Collect, press, mount, and label leaves from 20 different trees B. Fill in record sheet (page 34) or A. Collect, label, and display 20 fruits/seeds B. Fill in record sheet (page 35) C. Build a fruit/seed display box (optional) 2

A Tree Trees are different from woody shrubs. Trees normally have a single stem and are more than 20 feet tall when full grown. Even seedlings of trees should have a single stem. Shrubs normally have two or more stems and are less than 20 feet tall when mature. Leaves Alternate Leaf arrangement, type, shape, margin, size, and hairiness are common characteristics used to identify trees. Leaf arrangement refers to how leaves are attached to the woody stem. Maples, ashs, dogwoods, buckeyes, honeysuckles, and viburnums have opposite (pairs) leaves. Catalpas have leaves that are whorled (three leaves in a circle around the stem). Other trees, such as oaks, birches, hickories, and poplars, have alternate leaf patterns. See Figure 1. Figure 1 Opposite Whorled Leaf Types A leaf with a single blade is termed a simple leaf. But the leaves of some trees consist of three or more blades attached to a common stalk. Leaves of this type are said to be compound, and the individual blades are called leaflets. If the leaflets are attached along the sides of the stalk, the leaf is called pinnately compound. On the other hand, if a number of leaflets radiate from the top of the stalk, the leaf is palmately compound. See Figure 2. Simple Once pinnately compound Palmately compound Twice pinnately compound Figure 2 3

Needle-shaped Awl-shaped Scale-shaped Leaf Shapes The shape of a leaf is usually characteristic of a species. Figure 3 shows common leaf shapes. Oval or eggshaped Heart-shaped Lanceolate-shaped Figure 3 Triangle-shaped Smooth Entire Teeth Serrate Leaf Margins The edge of a leaf blade is called the margin. Figure 4 shows common types of leaf margins. Double Teeth Wavy Lobed Figure 4 4

Twigs and Buds Twigs are an excellent way of identifying trees in the winter. The most obvious features of twigs are their buds, leaf scars, stipule scars, and pith. See Figure 5. Terminal bud Lateral bud Bud scale Lenticel Leaf scar Bundle scar Collecting and Mounting Leaves, Twigs, Seeds, or Fruit Building a Plant Press (Optional) Before you collect any leaves and twigs for mounting, build a plant press. A plant press is the apparatus used to dry plant specimens under pressure. Collecting and mounting leaves and twigs will be more enjoyable if you have a plant press for drying them properly. Making a plant press is an easy job. Just follow the directions and complete each step to the best of your ability. Figure 5 Ring of bud scale scars Pith Chambered pith Solid pith Buy or cut the following: 1. Four pieces of wood 18 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide, and about 3/8-inch thick. 2. Sixteen pieces of wood 12 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1/4-inch thick. Also, have these materials and tools on hand: 1. Thirty-two small nails or small 1/2-inch screws. 2. Hammer, screw driver, and square. Make two frames out of the slats. Use half of the material for each frame. They should look like the one in Figure 6. Figure 6 18" 12" 5

To make the press (Figure 7) ready for use, get the following: 1. Two buckle straps or pieces of rope, each about 4 feet long. 2. At least 20 newspaper sheets for holding plant specimens. Figure 7 3. Several pieces of cardboard 12 inches by 18 inches in size. Collecting and Pressing the Leaves and Twigs The only equipment needed is a small knife, small pad of note paper, roll of masking tape, pencil, and white kitchen-sized garbage bag. While in the field, carry the specimens in the garbage bag. As the sample is collected, add a sheet of note paper with the information that you want to remember, such as the place and date of collection and notes about the surroundings. Masking tape should be attached to each leaf stalk to provide name, opposite/alternate information, or any other information that will help you with identification and the final label. Select only good average samples. Small seedlings or new growth are not typical of the particular tree. Collect three or four leaves from each tree to allow for any damage in drying or mounting. Place the samples in the plant press within a few hours after they are collected. Put the leaf or twig between several sheets of newspaper be sure to arrange the leaves and twigs in exactly the way they are to appear on the display sheet. Place a piece of cardboard between each sample being pressed. Keep this up until the plant press is packed. Wrap the press tightly with straps or pieces of rope. 6

Specimens usually need 10 days in the press to dry properly. On about the fourth day, replace the newspapers with dry ones. If you do not, the samples may become discolored or rotted by mold. If a press cannot be built, the leaves can be dried and flattened by placing heavy objects on top of the pile of newspapers, plants, and cardboard. Bricks, flat rocks, books, etc., will do the trick. Keep the press with plants in a sunny spot where there is good air circulation. Mounting the Leaves and Twigs in a Display Book When the sample is thoroughly dried, mount it on a page of the display book. The paper used for mounting should be stiff enough not to buckle when handled and should be at least 12 inches by 16 inches in size. (Do not use sheets larger than 16 inches by 20 inches.) Mount the leaves, twigs, seeds, or fruit of each tree on separate sheets. Use paste, transparent tape, or gummed tape to fasten leaves and twigs to the paper. Small seeds are displayed best in transparent envelopes pasted to the mounting paper. Figure 8 The mounting sheet label is usually placed in the lower right-hand corner of the sheet. The information placed on this label will increase in value over the years, so be thorough. Include the common name, the scientific name, date and place of collection, habitat, and the commercial and farm uses of the tree. The last step is to bind the plant mountings into a book. Print your name, club, and year of membership on the cover. 7

Figure 9 Tree Fruit Identification card Constructing a Fruit Display Box Since tree fruits are irregular in size and do not lend themselves to simple mounting techniques, it is desirable to build a display box in which all of them may be kept. A container can easily be made from a shoe box, or a box of similar size, cut to a height of about 2 inches. You may cover it with cellophane or a similar material. Fill the box with cotton and arrange the fruits neatly in it. Any number of fruits may be put in the box as long as they are arranged neatly and are not too crowded. Place a name tag near each specimen to Cotton Box about 2" high identify it. Your box may look more attractive if you cover it with cloth, wallpaper, or similar material. Reinforcing the corners with tape will make it stronger. Key to Trees A key is a scientific way of making choices to identify plants, animals, birds, insects, etc. The tree key for this project primarily uses twigs and leaves to identify a tree. Use the key the same way as a road map. Both of the number 1s on the left margin represent forks in a road. You will choose the characteristics that fit your twig/leaf sample. The numbers on the right tell you which set of left numbers to go to for your next decision. You keep moving left to right, down, and left to right until you finally reach the tree you are trying to identify. Its name will appear on the right. You then can look in the illustrations to make sure your identification is correct. Although the key looks complicated, a few practice tries will help you learn to use it. 8

Key to West Virginia Forest Trees 1. Conifers - mostly evergreen with needles, having awl-like or scale-shaped leaves and bearing cones... 2 1. Deciduous - broadleaf hardwoods that mostly lose leaves in winter... 15 2. Leaves are needles... 3 2. Leaves scale-like or awl-shaped... 14 3. Needles in clusters or bundles (Pines and Larches)... 4 3. Each single needle attached to twig (Spruce, Fir and Hemlock)... 8 4. Needles in clusters of 8-30 on short spur twigs, needles drop in autumn, cones upright... Tamarack or American Larch 4. Needles in bundles of 2-5 (Pines)... 5 5. Needles in bundles of 5, 3-5" long... White Pine 5. Needles in bundles of 2 and 3... 6 6. Needles in bundles of 3, 3-5" long... Pitch Pine 6. Needles in bundles of 2 or 3, 3-5" long...shortleaf Pine 6. Needles in bundles of 2... 7 7. Needles 5-7" long, dark green, brittle when bent in circle...red Pine 7. Needles 1-4" long... 8 8. Needles 2-4" long, blue-green; cones large, in clusters and covered with sharp prickles... Table Mountain Pine 8. Needles 1-3" long, twisted... 9 9. Twigs often whitish, old cones hang on trees and covered with sharp curved prickles... Virginia or Scrub Pine 9. Twigs brownish, cones fall each year and have no prickles... Scotch or Scots Pine 9

10. Needles 4-sided, stiff and sharp-pointed (Spruces)... 11 10. Needles flat and flexible with 2 white lines beneath... 13 11. Needles more than l long, green or blue... Colorado Blue Spruce 11. Needles l long or less... 12 12. Needles 1 /2-1" long, twigs not hairy, hanging branchlets... Norway Spruce 12. Needles 1 /2 long and spread from all sides of twig, twig hairy... Red Spruce 13. Needles 1-1 1 /2 long, fallen needles leave a circular scar... Balsam Fir 13. Needles 1 /2-3 /4 long, fallen needles leave a peg...eastern Hemlock 14. New growth needles awl-shaped, old growth scale-like and twigs 4-sided...Eastern Red Cedar 14. Leaves and twigs flattened and scale-like... Arbor Vitae or Northern White Cedar 15. Leaves compound... 16 15. Leaves simple... 36 16. Leaves alternate... 17 16. Leaves opposite... 31 17. Leaves 2 or 3 times pinnately compound... 18 17. Leaves 1 time pinnately compound... 20 18. Leaves mostly 2 times (sometimes 1 time) pinnately compound, leaflets small ( 1 /2-1" long) with rounded tips...honeylocust 18. Leaves mostly 2 times (sometimes 3 times) pinnately compound, leaflets over 1 inch long, leaf tip pointed... 19 19. Leaves mostly 2 times pinnate, twigs large and without thorns...kentucky Coffeetree 10

19. Leaves 2 or 3 times pinnately compound, twigs covered with thorns...hercules Club 20. Leaflets 11-41... 26 20. Leaflets 5-11 (Hickories)... 21 21. Leaflets 5-11, bud with 2 long flat yellow scales...bitternut Hickory 21. Leaflets 5-9, buds large, round, tan, or brownish... 22 22. Leaflets 5-7... 23 22. Leaflets 7-9... 25 23. Leaflets 7...Oval Pignut Hickory 23. Leaflets 5... 24 24. End leaflet slightly larger than side leaflets, husk on pear-shaped nut not splitting to base, bark not shaggy... Pignut Hickory 24. End leaflet much larger than side leaflets, husk on round nut splits freely to base, bark on older stems shaggy...shagbark Hickory 25. Leaf 8-14" long, crushed leaves fragrant, bark on older stems not shaggy... Mockernut Hickory 25. Leaf 14-20" long, crushed leaves not fragrant, bark on older stems shaggy... Shellbark Hickory 26. Leaflets 7-21, egg-shaped, smooth margin and round tips... Black Locust 26. Leaflets lance-shaped with sharp tips... 27 27. Leaves 1-2" long, leaflets 13-41 with smooth margin except for a lobe at the base of each, crushed leaflets with foul odor... Tree-of-heaven 27. Leaflets with small teeth on margin... 28 28. Leaflets and twigs very hairy with milky sap...staghorn Sumac 28. Twigs with no milky sap... 29 11

29. Leaves 5-10" long, buds sticky... American Mountain-Ash 29. Leaves 12-24" long, buds white and wooly... 30 12 30. Terminal leaflet often missing, pith light yellow... Black Walnut 30. Terminal leaflet present, pith chocolate brown... White Walnut 31. Leaves palmately compound... 32 31. Leaves pinnately compound... 33 32. Broken twig with foul odor, spiny fruit husk... Ohio Buckeye 32. Broken twig with no foul odor, yellow or smooth fruit husk...sweet Buckeye 33. Leaflets 3-5, notched or lobed...boxelder or Ashleaf Maple 33. Leaflets 5-13, margin with small teeth or smooth (Ashes)... 34 34. Leaflets not stalked... Black Ash 34. Leaflets on a short stalk... 35 35. Leaflets hairless... Green Ash 35. Leaflets with white hairs underneath... White Ash 36. Opposite leaves and twigs... 37 36. Alternate leaves and twigs... 47 36. Whorled leaves and twigs... 105 37. Lobed leaf margin... 38 37. Unlobed or toothed leaf margin... 43 38. U-shaped notches... 39 38. V-shaped notches... 41 39. Leaf white, silvery underneath, deeply cut notches... Silver Maple

39. Leaf pale or yellow-green underneath... 40 40. Leaf with 5 lobes, hairless... Sugar or Hard Maple 40. Leaf with 3 drooping lobes, hairy underneath...black Sugar Maple 41. Leaf pale green to whitish underneath, 3-5 lobes... Red or Soft Maple 41. Leaf green underneath, 3 lobes... 42 42. Coarse teeth on leaf margin, bark brownish... Mountain Maple 42. Fine teeth on leaf margin, greenish bark with white stripes...striped Maple or Moosewood 43. Leaves heart-shaped... 44 43. Leaves egg-shaped... 46 44. Large leaf 6-15" long, hairy upper and soft velvety underneath... Paulownia or Imperial tree 44. Large leaf, hairless upper and hairy underneath, fruit a long bean-like pod... 45 45. Leaf with long pointed tip and no odor when crushed...western or Northern Catalpa 45. Leaf with short pointed tip and foul odor when crushed... Southern Catalpa or Cigartree or Indian Bean 46. Smooth leaf margin, leaf veins parallel to the leaf edge and curve to the leaf tip... Flowering Dogwood 46. Small sharp teeth on leaf margin... Blackhaw 47. Leaves with lobes...48 47. Leaves unlobed...68 48. Small reddish brown buds clustered at the end of twigs, pith star-shaped, fruit an acorn (Oaks)... 49 48. Buds not clustered at end of twigs, pith round... 59 13

49. Leaf veins without a bristle tip (White Oaks)... 50 49. Leaf vein with a bristle tip (Black Oaks)... 55 14 50. Leaf leathery and cross-shaped...post Oak 50. Leaf not cross-shaped... 51 51. Leaf with a pair of deep-cut U-shaped notches just below the midpoint... Bur or Mossycup Oak 51. Leaf with no pair of deep-cut notches... 52 52. Leaf hairless underneath... White Oak 52. Leaf hairy underneath... 53 53. Leaf with coarse sharp teeth... Chinquapin or Yellow Oak 53. Leaf with coarse rounded teeth... 54 54. 7-16 pairs of teeth...chestnut Oak 54. 4-6 pairs of teeth... Swamp White Oak 55. Leaf hairy underneath... 56 55. Leaf hairless underneath except some with small tufts in vein joints... 57 56. Leaves of two basic shapes (3-lobed that is broadest near the tip and a 5 to 11-lobed which has a long end lobe that is usually curved)... Southern Red or Spanish Oak 56. Leaves of variable shapes, 5-7 lobes, leathery, dark green and shiny upper...black Oak 57. Leaf hairless...red Oak 57. Leaf with hairy tufts in vein joints... 58 58. Openings between major lobes circular... Scarlet Oak 58. Openings between major lobes U-shaped or squarish... Pin Oak

59. Leaf margin with small teeth... 64 59. Leaf margin smooth... 60 60. Leaf with 2 ear-like lobes at the base, 10-20" long... Mountain or Fraser Magnolia 60. Leaf base tapered or flat... 61 61. Leaf tip square-like or with a slight notch, 4 lobes and hairless... Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar 61. Leaf tip round or pointed... 62 62. Leaves of different shapes (3-lobed, mitten-shaped or oval), crushed leaves or broken green twigs have spicy, aromatic smell...white Sassafras 62. All leaves of the same basic shape... 63 63. Leaves dense white wooly underneath...white Poplar 63. Leaf with many teeth-like lobes and a large sharp pointed tip, buds hidden in base of leaf petiole... Sycamore 64. Thorns present on stem, limbs, or twigs... 65 64. Thorns not present... 66 65. Leaves on thorns... Wild Crabapple 65. Thorns leafless...hawthorn 66. Leaf star-shaped...sweetgum or Redgum 66. Leaf shape variable... 67 67. Leaf with white hairs underneath, rough upper... Red Mulberry 67. Leaf hairless, very shiny upper... White Mulberry 68. Crushed leaves and twigs with almond (cyanide) odor and bitter taste, bark peels horizontally (Plums and Cherries)... 69 15

68. Crushed leaves and twigs without almond odor... 71 69. Mild almond (cyanide) odor, some limbs usually with thorns...wild Plum 69. Strong almond odor, no thorns (Cherries)... 70 70. Leaf oval with a short but sharp tip, bark brown to black... Wild Black Cherry 70. Leaf lance-shaped with long tapering tip, bark reddish brown on twigs and young stems... Fire, Pin, or Bird Cherry 71. Broken twigs with aromatic wintergreen (teaberry) odor... 72 71. Broken twigs without wintergreen odor... 74 72. Leaf triangle-shaped, tree of swamps and stream banks... River Birch 72. Leaf egg-shaped... 73 73. Bark on twigs and young stems black, leaf margin usually has teeth of one size...black or Sweet Birch 73. Bark on twigs and young stems yellowish, leaf margin with big and small teeth... Yellow Birch 74. Leaves thick and leathery, evergreen... 75 74. Leaves thin or thick, deciduous... 78 75. Leaves with spines on edges...american Holly 75. Leaves with smooth edges... 76 76. Leaves rounded at base and tip...purple Laurel 76. Leaves with tapered base and pointed tip... 77 77. Leaf 2-5" long...mountain Laurel 77. Leaf 4-12" long... Rhododendron or Great Laurel 78. Leaf margin smooth... 79 16

78. Leaf margin with teeth... 86 79. Leaves less than 6" long... 80 79. Leaves 6-24" long... 84 80. Leaves leathery... 83 80. Leaves not leathery... 81 81. Leaf heart-shaped...redbud 81. Leaf not heart-shaped... 82 82. Thorns and branches and twigs, leaf with a very long pointed tip... Osage-Orange 82. Thornless, leaf with round tips... Black or Sour Gum or Black Tupelo 83. Leaf soft hairy underneath, bristle tip... Shingle Oak 83. Leaf hairless... Persimmon 84. Crushed leaf with foul, rancid odor... Pawpaw 84. Crushed leaf with strong but not foul, rancid odor... 85 85. Leaf hairy underneath, bud silvery... Cucumber-Tree 85. Leaf hairless underneath... Umbrella Magnolia 86. Leaf base lopsided... 87 86. Leaf base sides relatively even in size... 92 87. Leaf triangle-shaped, with many teeth, hairy and rough upper... American Hackberry 87. Leaf heart- or egg-shaped (Elms and Basswoods)... 88 88. Leaves heart-shaped (Basswoods)... 89 88. Leaves egg-shaped (Elms)... 90 89. Leaf with dense white hairs underneath... White Basswood 17

89. Leaf hairless or with a few tufts underneath... American Basswood 90. Leaf rough (sandpapery) upper...slippery Elm 90. Leaf smooth upper... 91 91. Leaf small, 1-3" long, with small teeth...siberian Elm 91. Leaf larger, 2-6" long, with large teeth of 2 sizes...american Elm 92. Heart-shaped leaves with 3-5 palm-like veins (Poplars)... 93 92. Leaves oval or lanceolate with many feather-like veins... 96 93. Leafstalk not flattened, buds gummy and fragrant... Balm-of-Gilead 93. Leafstalk flattened...94 94. Leaf with coarse angular teeth, young leaves white and wooly... Bigtooth Aspen 94. Leaves with sharp or small teeth... 95 95. Leaf with coarse sharp teeth; thick, shiny upper...eastern Cottonwood 95. Leaf with fine teeth, 1-3" long... Quaking Aspen 96. Leaf long and narrow (lance-shaped)... 97 96. Leaf oval or egg-shaped... 100 97. Leaf with large angular teeth... 98 97. Leaf with small teeth... 99 98. Leaf 4-10" long, thin, hairless, teeth curving inward... American Chestnut 98. Leaf 4-7" long, thick, a few hairs on veins underneath, teeth straight... Chinese Chestnut 99. Leaf 1/2" or less in width...black Willow 99. Leaf 1-3" in width...sourwood 18

100. Leaf with large angular teeth, conspicuous parallel veins... American Beech 100. Leaf with small, sharp teeth... 101 101. Leaf tip long and sharp-pointed... 102 101. Leaf with short, sharp tips or rounded tip... 103 102. Leaf dense, hairy underneath...hop Hornbeam 102. Leaf hairless or with a few tufts underneath... American Hornbeam 103. Long sharp thorns on stems and branches... Hawthorns 103. Without thorns... 104 104. Bark smooth, gray with horizontal speckles... Speckled Alder 104. Bark smooth, gray with vertical dark vertical stripes...serviceberry 105. Leaf with long pointed tip and no odor when crushed...western or Northern Catalpa 105. Leaf with short pointed tip and foul odor when crushed... Southern Catalpa or Cigartree or Indian Bean 19

Leaves LARIX laricina Tamarack PINUS strobus White Pine PINUS rigida Pitch Pine PINUS echinata Shortleaf Pine PINUS resinosa Red Pine PINUS pungens Table Mountain Pine PINUS virginiana Virginia Pine PINUS sylvestris Scotch Pine PICEA pungens Colorado Spruce 20

PICEA abies Norway Spruce PICEA rubens Red Spruce ABIES balsamea Balsam Fir TSUGA canadensis Eastern Hemlock JUNIPERUS virginiana Eastern Redcedar THUJA occidentalis Arbor Vitae GLEDITSIA triacanthos Honeylocust GYMNOCLADUS dioica Kentucky Coffeetree ARALIA spinosa Hercules Club 21

CARYA cordiformis Bitternut Hickory CARYA ovalis Oval Pignut Hickory CARYA glabra Pignut Hickory CARYA ovata Shagbark Hickory CARYA tomentosa Mockernut Hickory CARYA laciniosa Shellbark Hickory ROBINIA psuedo-acacia Black Locust AILANTHUS altissima Tree-of-Heaven RHUS typhina Staghorn Sumac 22

PYRUS americana American Mountain-ash JUGLANS nigra Black Walnut JUGLANS cinerea White Walnut AESCULUS glabra Ohio Buckeye AESCULUS octandra Yellow Buckeye AESCULUS negundo Boxelder FRAXINUS nigra Black Ash FRAXINUS pennsylvanica Green Ash FRAXINUS americana White Ash 23

ACER saccharinum Silver Maple ACER saccharum Sugar Maple ACER nigrum Black Sugar Maple ACER rubrum Red Maple ACER spicatum Mountain Maple ACER pensylvanicum Striped Maple PAULOWNIA tomentosa Paulownia 24

CATALPA speciosa Western Catalpa CATALPA bignonioides Southern Catalpa VIBURNUM prunifolium Black Haw CORNUS florida Flowering Dogwood QUERCUS stellata Post Oak QUERCUS macrocarpa Bur Oak QUERCUS alba White Oak QUERCUS muehlenbergii Chinquapin Oak 25

QUERCUS prinus Chestnut Oak QUERCUS bicolor Swamp White Oak QUERCUS falcata Southern Red Oak QUERCUS velutina Black Oak QUERCUS rubra Red Oak QUERCUS coccinea Scarlet Oak QUERCUS palustris Pin Oak MAGNOLIA fraseri Mountain Magnolia LIRIODENDRON tulipifera Tulip Tree 26

SASSAFRAS albidum White Sassafras POPULUS alba White Poplar PLATANUS occidentalis Sycamore PYRUS coronaria Wild Crabapple CRATAEGUS macrosperma Hawthorn LIQUIDAMBAR styraciflua Sweetgum MORUS rubra Red Mulberry 27

MORUS alba White Mulberry PRUNUS americana Wild Plum PRUNUS serotina Wild Black Cherry PRUNUS pensylvanica Fire Cherry BETULA nigra River Birch BETULA lenta Black Birch BETULA alleghaniensis Yellow Birch ILEX opaca American Holly RHODODENDRON catawbiense Purple Laurel 28

KALMIA latifolia Mountain Laurel RHODODENDRON maximum Rhododendron CERCIS canadensis Redbud MACLURA pomifera Osage-orange NYSSA sylvatica Black Gum QUERCUS imbricaria Shingle Oak DIOSPYROS virginiana Persimmon 29

ASIMINA triloba Pawpaw MAGNOLIA acuminata Cucumber-tree MAGNOLIA tripetala Umbrella Magnolia CELTIS occidentalis American Hackberry TILIA heterophylla White Basswood TILIA americana American Basswood 30

ULMUS rubra Slippery Elm ULMUS pumila Siberian Elm ULMUS americana American Elm POPULUS gileadensis Balm-of-Gilead POPULUS grandidentata Bigtooth Aspen POPULUS deltoides Eastern Cottonwood POPULUS tremuloides Quaking Aspen CASTANEA dentata American Chestnut CASTANEA mollissima Chinese Chestnut 31

SALIX nigra Black Willow OXYDENDRUM arboreum Sourwood FAGUS grandifolia American Beech OSTRYA virginiana Hop Hornbeam CARPINUS caroliniana American Hornbeam CRATAEGUS crus-galli Hawthorn ALNUS rugosa Speckled Alder AMELANCHIER arborea Serviceberry 32

LEAF RECORD SHEET I Fill in the required information about the leaves in your collection. Common Name Where Collected Habitat Date Collected Fruit Collected Example: White Pine Laurel Creek Swamp July 3, 1995 Yes 33

LEAF RECORD SHEET II Fill in the required information about the leaves in your collection. Common Name Where Collected Habitat Date Collected Fruit Collected Example: White Oak Jackson's Mill Dry Hillside June 20, 1995 No 34

FRUIT/SEED RECORD SHEET Fill in the required information about the fruits/seeds in your collection. (Specify fruit, seed, or both.) Common Name Where Collected Habitat Date Collected Fruit/Seed Collected Example: Sugar Maple Center Park Near Ballfield July 4, 1995 Seed 35

Project Checklist Have you: Learned how to identify our more important forest trees? Learned how to build a plant press or display box? Learned how to collect and mount leaves, seeds, and fruit? Learned how to identify the items you collected and mounted? Filled in your record sheet? Given a visual presentation or illustrated talk on this project? Had your parent/s and leader review your completed record? Completed a project evaluation and forwarded it to either your 4-H leader or State 4-H Office? 36

4-H Project Evaluation Now that you have finished this project, it is time for you to think about what you have learned. We also would like to know what you have learned and if the project needs to be improved. Your comments will help the people who write the projects. Please write answers to the following questions. Then give this form to your 4-H leader or mail it to: Project Evaluation State 4-H Office Knapp Hall, P.O. Box 6031 Morgantown, WV 26506-6031 Title of Project Tree Identification Tree Identification Girl Boy (circle one) Age Grade in School Years in 4-H 1. Was this your first project in this subject? 2. Why did you pick this project? 3. What was your favorite part of this project? 4. By doing this project, what did you learn that you didn t know before? 5. Did you do the activities in the project book? Why or why not? 6. Did you like doing the activities in the project book? Why or why not? 7. How would you change this project to make it better? 8. Would you tell others to take this project? Why or why not? 9. What other 4-H projects have you taken? 10. If you have something else to say, write it on the back. 37

Score Sheet The work of each 4-H member will be scored as follows: YEAR 1 Points possible Points earned Collect, press, mount, and label 60 leaves from 20 trees Leaf Record Sheet information 20 Activity Record 20 YEAR 2 OR 3 Total 100 Collect, press, mount, and label 60 leaves from 20 trees (different than Year 1 s) Leaf Record Sheet information 20 Activity Record 20 YEAR 2 OR 3 Total 100 Collect, press, mount, and label 60 fruits/seeds from 20 trees Fruit/Seed Record Sheet information 20 Activity Record 20 Total 100 References: Strausbaugh, P.D. and E.L. Core, 1977. Flora of West Virginia, 2nd Edition, Seneca Books, Grantsville, West Virginia, 1,079 pages. Core, E.L. and R.L. Guthrie, 1977. Forest Trees of West Virginia, 7th Edition. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, 119 pages. This low-cost booklet can be purchased at most West Virginia Division of Forestry offices.